Loom-picker



L. R. SWAN.

LOOM PICKER. APPLICATIUN FILED MAY 26, I920.

Patented Aug. 16, 1921.

LORAN B. SWAN, OF BENNINGTON, VERMONT;

LOOM-PICKER.

} Application filed. May 26,

To all 20 ham it may concern Be it known that I, LORAN R. SWAN, a citizen of the United States, residing. at Bennington, in the county of Bennington and State of Vermont, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements inLoom-Pickers, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to the art of textile machinery or looms, the object in view being to provide novel improvements in loom pickers. V

In order to comprehend the invention, it is here explained that in looms, especially those of a conventional or well understood type, known as drop box looms for fancy woolens and worsteds, the pick motion embodies either a pickerstrap or picker stick, the former, owing to frequent breakage having been more or less discardedin favor of the latter. This picker stick is operatively connected with the picker which throws the shuttle in the operation of weaving.

The present disadvantages, which it has been my object to overcome, have been the tendency of the pick motion to impart a sudden, sharp blow to the shuttle, resulting from a short, snappy sweep of the picker stick which causes an uneven throw of the shuttle, as well as a heavy undesirable strain. upon the loom, wear upon the picker, and often times breakage of the parts. c

The object of my invention has therefore been to provide such a form and construction of picker as will enable these difficulties to be eliminated, due to its effect upon the action of the pick motion, so that instead of the short snappy sweep, I am able to produce a long and easy sweep of the picker stick, or an easy rolling pick to the loom, in turn obtaining aneasy and straight throw of the shuttle.

More specifically, my invention resides in the provision of a picker in which the picker stick opening is so formed with respect to the picker head that the stick may assume a position which will enable it to take a long sweep, and which will so modify or adjust the pick motion actuating elements that the be specifically stick will receive a slow initial and prolonged acceleration instead of a sudden and short impulsion.

With thisexplanation, the invention con sists in the novel arrangement of parts to described and claimed, being Specification of Letters Patent. Patented. Aug. 16', 19121;

1920; Serial No. 384,292,

illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary view, partly broken away and in section of the pick motion of a loom in which my picker is embodied;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing a plan view of the picker;-

and a v a Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the picker. Throughout the following description and on the'several figures of the'drawings, similar parts are referredto bylike' reference characters. V

VVhile the invention lies more particularly in the construction of the picker, as hereinbefore premised, it becomes necessary in order to understand the advantages of such construction to describe certain details of the pick motion of the loom. 1 designates the loomside having upon its inner face supports-2 for the guide rod 3 upon which the picker 4 of my invention is slidably mounted. The gear 5 journaledin the frame is driven from a suit-able drive shaft not shown, and is adapted to actuate the crank shaft 6, which, in turn, actuates of which is indicated at 7 rocking shaft 8. This latter shaft is pro vided at its end'with a bracket 9 in which is adjustably andpivotally mounted the lower end of'the picker stick 10. At an intermediate point 'the'picker stick is connected with the picker actuating arm 11 by means of the connector 12'provided' with a strap 18 sur rounding the'pickerstick. The arm 11 is mounted 'upon the cross shaft 14 and a spring15 is provided to eifect return of the picker stick, this being'well known in apparatus of'thistype. The 'crossshaft 14 is provided with the usual cam shaped projection 16 and the picker actuating roller 17 in the well known operation of the mechanism isadapted to coact with this cam device so as to effect actuation of thereby throw the shuttle in the usual manner. This picker actuating roller 17 is mounted upon a flange 18 carried by a sleeve 19, which in turn is adapted to be actuated through the instrumentality of the connection of said sleeve with the eccentric gear 20 operatively connected with the drive shaft he lay swords, one mounted upon the the picker stick to V the known art and it is not necessary under the conditions to refer to them more particularly.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be observed that my particular construction of picker embodies at one side the eye 4 by. means of which it is mounted slidably upon the guide rod 3, while at the other side and adjacent to one end is the picker head 4* which is adapted to coact with the shuttle. At a point in rear of the picker head, the picker is provided with a picker stick opening 1 through which the picker stick projects as shown and it is the position of this opening with respect to the picker head that forms the important improvement in my device. The picker itself may be of conventional construction, that is with respect to its formation from layers of raw hide as indicated at P riveted together, the head preferably being provided with a cap reinforcement as indicated at P.

I am well aware that pickers somewhat of this type have been heretofore proposed and used in conjunction with the pick motion disclosed, but the disposition of the picker stick picker roller 17 in the operation of the pick motion came into cooperation with the cam actuator 16 at such a point in its camming surface that a sudden acceleration or actuation of the picker stick resulted, giving rise to the defects hereinbefore suggested. However, by disposing the opening A in my picker at a point in rear of the head 48 the picker stick 10 is normally disposed more to the rear, thereby insuring a longer sweep. In addition this disposition, owing to the fact that the actuating cam 16 is raised, insures that the picker actuating roller 17 will come into contact therewith sooner than when the picker stick is disposed as in the conventional constructions. The result produced is that the picker stick obtains a gradual or slow acceleration in the initial coaction of the picker roller with the cam device preparatory to the climb of the roller upon the peak portion of said cam and the impulse or blow on the shuttle is effective at a point in the movement of the lay when the latter is relatively stationary-that is, ap-

opening was such that the proximately at the time it is starting to reverse its oscillatory motion. This imparts an easy throw to the picker and hence to the shuttle, resulting in a straight throw of the shuttle instead of an uneven throw. As stated, much less strain is placed upon the parts owing to this arrangement, all due to the particular formation of my picker and the consequent modification of the position of the picker stick.

Another feature of importance lies in the fact that the lateral strain produced by the stress upon the head takes place substantially through the stick so that the stick sustains a portion of the stress, which is not the case where the picker stick opening is disposed centrally of'the picker. In such central disposition of the opening with respect to the body of the picker, the stress is taken up by the ends of the eye of the picker and considerable wear in time takes place resulting in an imperfect actuation of the shuttle. It will be apparent that while the improvements hereinbefore set forth may appear to be of a simple character, the advantages derived from my special arrangement are such as to involve improvements of an important character, speaking with reference to its effect in the operation of weaving with regard to the actuation of the shuttle of the loom.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:- I 1. A loom picker of the class described, comprising a body formed with an eye at one side and a head at its opposite side, said body being provided with a picker stick opening intermediate said eye and head and adjacent the opposite end of the body from the head.

2. A loom picker of the class described, comprising a body having an eye at one side and a head at the opposite side disposed in advance of a median line transversely of the body, said body having a picker stick opening arranged at the opposite side of said median transverse line.

In testimony whereof I a'HiX my signature.

LORAN R. SWAN. 

